The Healing Foods Pyramid Developed by UMich Gets a "C" Grade

The Healing Foods Pyramid guide put together by the University of Michigan Integrative Medicine Division is a step ahead of the USDA's new pyramid in at least one area - clarity.But how does it score for your health in general?

For this, you can neglect that it is 10 storey high. But as with the USDA's new food pyramid and the Harvard School of Public Health's Healthy Eating Pyramid this one also suffers from economic dependency syndrome.

As a diabetic, I have to wonder why the healing foods pyramid (or any food guide for that matter) has to include alcohol? Now, don't jump on me yet, just hear me out...

We're talking about healing foods. Most diabetics have several things to be concerned with: high blood sugars, low blood sugars, high cholesterol, high blood pressure.

Add to that the high costs of diabetes supply, and the possibility of complications. Why should we require alcohol in our diets?For many of us who are on the Western style diet, the odds are higher for getting diabetes and heart problems.Typical Western style diets are high in fat and salt, low in fiber and tastes great. It is symbolized and popularized by our many popular fast food enterprises.

So why is the University of Michigan including alcohol in a food guide? Why include a dangerous drug that wrecks more lives than any other legalized substance?Healing Foods Pyramid by University of Michigan Integrative Medicine.

My opinion, again?

It's all economics. If eggs, dairy, or alcohol were left out, the big industries would be pulling out their charitable sticks to whack their institutional dependents on the head.

Just take a look at the Healing Foods Pyramid. If you follow what I have been saying about the anti-diabetes diet, all we really need are the lower four levels of the pyramid.

This is not a popular opinion. Most of us love to obey the first 1.5 inches of our tongues - the salt and sweet tastes. We also love the feel of alcohol in our stomachs.

If you are a diabetic, or are very concerned about your health, you need to love your kidneys even more than your taste buds.

What else about the Healing Foods Pyramid?

Let's look at the 10 levels, from the base to the tip...

WATER - This food guide suggests women drink 8 cups a day, and men drink 12 cups per day.

FRUITS & VEGETABLES - Five (5) servings of vegetables and 2 to 4 servings of fruit per day

GRAINS - This includes all parts of the grain - bran, endosperm, and germ. Can be had from whole grain foods, such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, and corn. The starchy vegetables, e.g. potato, have been included in this category as well.

LEGUMES - The fourth and last of the important levels of the Healing Foods Pyramid (as far as the anti-diabetes diet is concerned) is the legumes. UMICH recommends 1 to 3 servings per day. Legumes (peas and beans) are high fiber foods, and therefore, low glycemic foods.

SEASONINGS and HEALTHY FATS - The items on this level of the Healing Foods Pyramid do have some medicinal value. Included in the seasonings are garlic, onion, and other spices. Healthy fats are plant based oils, e.g. olive oil and mono-saturated or unsaturated fats.

EGGS and DAIRY - The 6th level of the Healing Foods Pyramid includes the eggs and dairy food group - your source of extra cholesterol. The anti-diabetes diet does not advocate use of this group.

FISH and SEAFOOD - Seafood items are some of the very highest sources of cholesterol. Still this food group is a significant part of some low carb diets used for weight loss.

LEAN MEATS - Poultry, beef, pork, lamb, and wild game are what the Healing Foods Pyramid builders call lean meats. In this way, you won't need to try to know what isn't lean meat.

ACCOMPANIMENTS - Alcohol, dark chocolate, and tea comprise this group. It is classified as an optional category sitting right on top of the pyramid. Alcohol, extra fat, and caffeine are definite things every diabetic would do well to avoid.

PERSONAL SPACE - This is like "whatever else you like to eat that we have not included in here" category.

On my health grading scale, this food guide gets no better than a "C".

For more information and explanation for each of the recommended food categories, click on the appropriate level of the Healing Foods Pyramid at website www.diabetesdestroyer.ws/diabetics-version-of-the-ancestors-pyramid-menu .